FARNHAM School of Tae Kwon Do’s tournament squad followed up their success at the British Open Championships with a tremendous performance at the PUMA International Open Championships, bringing home eight medals.

Staged over two days at the Oasis Leisure Centre in Swindon, the tournament attracted competitors from all four home nations and also from overseas, including a strong representation from the Netherlands.

On the Saturday, black belts competed in patterns, sparring and power testing.

Farnham’s 14-year-old first degree black belt, Daisy Johnson, despite defeating the eventual champion in the early rounds, missed out on the gold by the narrowest of margins, winning a hugely creditable silver medal for the second successive year.

The following day, coloured belts engaged in some fierce competition in patterns and sparring.

The Farnham girls were early visitors to the podium. Nicole Oxley won gold in the patterns, with her sister, Melissa, and the squad’s youngest member, eight-year-old Tyla Nawrattel each taking bronze.

Will Oxley claimed another silver for Farnham in the men’s O36 patterns. He later went one better and won gold in the O36 sparring, using his axe-kick to good effect against tough opponents who brought the best out of him.

More Farnham success in the sparring as 13-year-old Kenzie Power won her second gold medal in a matter of weeks, adding a PUMA title to her GTI British crown. Archie Riley, 14, came up against some technically accomplished and more experienced opponents, but battled bravely to earn a bronze medal.

Farnham coach Tim Ayres-Townshend said: “The tournament was, as always, very enjoyable and exciting. All credit to the squad members for competing, and congratulations on their success. Of greater value in the long run will be the lessons each of us has learnt in how we have to improve to compete at this level consistently.”